


The Only Solution

by TMar



Category: Forever Knight
Genre: Character Turned Into Vampire, F/M, Vampire Bites, Vampire Sex, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 05:19:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16570400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TMar/pseuds/TMar
Summary: Natalie is tired of waiting for Nick to decide what he wants. She decides what SHE wants, instead.





	The Only Solution

**Author's Note:**

> Back in 1996 when I wrote this, there was a lot of speculation on FORKNI-L about LaCroix bringing Natalie over, and it got me thinking. This story is the result. I originally only meant to have LaCroix bring Natalie over, and then for Nat and Nick to get together... but  
> sometimes stories write themselves.

THE ONLY SOLUTION

LaCroix looked up from sorting through CD's when he heard a mortal  
heartbeat. The bartenders were (mostly) mortal, of course, but none of  
them would dare interrupt him when he was preparing for a show. Which  
meant that this must be a nosey customer, or... He looked up, his best  
non-vampiric evil look plastered on. And was rather surprised.

Natalie Lambert stood at the door, looking a bit nervous.

LaCroix put down the handful of CD's and straightened up. "What can I  
do for you, doctor?"

Natalie fiddled with her hands for a minute and then said, "They...  
uh... told me you were preparing for your show, but..." She trailed off,  
not exactly sure what to say.

"Do tell," said LaCroix, getting slightly irritated. Though, he had  
to give Nick's doctor friend points for not showing fear. She was  
nervous, but she didn't seem at all fearful.

Suddenly, Natalie just blurted it out. "I remember that Valentine's  
Day, and what you tried to do. And what Nick said, and did."

"Really?" LaCroix feigned disinterest.

"Really. It's been over a year since that day, and Nick isn't getting  
anywhere. I try to encourage him, but I don't feel it myself. And he's  
slipping away from me, I can feel it."

"I don't see why you think this has anything to do with me." LaCroix eyed   
her with a neutral expression on his face. What could she possibly want?

"I want to be with him, LaCroix!" Natalie suddenly blurted. "I love  
him, okay? I know he made some pact with you about revenge or something,  
but that deals with mortals."

"Which you are, to point out the very obvious, doctor."

"I won't be if you bring me across."

This was the last thing the master vampire had expected. "You are  
*asking me* to bring you across?"

Natalie nodded, looking away. "My life means nothing without Nick.  
One day he'll leave, I know it. If he doesn't regain mortality, he'll  
leave. And I'll have wasted all these years of my life. I don't want that."

"Hasn't Nicholas told you the 'living hell' that being a vampire is?  
A fate worse than death, as he believes?"

Now Natalie looked him in the eye. "I don't believe that. If I did, I  
wouldn't be here."

"And I take it Nicholas refused to bring you over."

"He probably would refuse, if I asked him. But I didn't ask him."

This really surprised LaCroix. He merely looked at Natalie with a  
frown, which compelled her to continue.

"Nick told me about some of the others he brought across. If I'm not  
mistaken, almost all of them are dead. I think I can face what Nick  
can't: Nick isn't good at bringing people over, is he?"

"Nicholas doesn't understand the control that any master must have,  
both over himself and over his or her children. He doesn't have those  
abilities. His vampire children always come to bad ends because of it."

This much was true; LaCroix had skipped some 'vampire lessons', but Nick  
*could* bring people over successfully if he wanted to; he just 'forgot' -  
more likely couldn't bring himself - to exert the control needed.

"That's why I'm asking you," said Natalie. "At least with you I know I  
won't end up dead, and won't end up on the wrong end of a stake."

"Nicholas has tried to be free of me for many years, and you want to bind  
yourself to me in the same way?"

"I can see you much clearer than Nick can," Natalie told him. "You love  
your children. And if I'm one of them, I will be that much closer to Nick.  
You're not evil, LaCroix. I don't believe you're evil."

As he looked at the doctor, LaCroix actually found himself considering  
it. Janette was lost to him now, and while he had always paid more attention  
to Nick, he missed female companionship. And Natalie would certainly make a  
lovely vampire. But if he did this, Nick might be lost to him.

"I serve no one, doctor. Not good, or evil. Only myself."

"I can deal with that."

"Nicholas will hate me if I do this. He may even come to hate you."

Natalie edged closer. "Frankly, Nick doesn't know what he wants, or what  
he feels anymore. He says he wants to be human, then he deliberately ignores  
my prescriptions. But when I ask him if he wants to be a vampire again, he  
tells me he hates it. He says he loves me, then he acts as if he doesn't. He  
feels he can't make that commitment because I'm mortal, and he isn't. And  
I'm sick of it. This is my choice." She lifted her chin and looked LaCroix  
in the eye. "I want this. I want you to bring me across."

Clearly the young doctor knew exactly what she wanted. LaCroix had always  
been drawn to strength in the women he sought as companions. "Where is  
Nicholas now?" If Nick came while they were busy, LaCroix felt sure he'd be  
facing another stake... not that he cared about that, but being interrupted  
at the wrong time might result in his potential companion dying, and he  
couldn't allow that.

"He's on a stakeout. He can't leave there."

"Very well, doctor. I will bring you over. But we will wait until  
daytime, when Nicholas cannot interrupt."

Nat nodded. "All right. And stop calling me doctor."

"As you say, *Natalie*."

"I'm staying here, though," she said.

"I will show you a back room where you can wait."

"Thank you."

***

As the night wore on, Natalie contemplated her reasons for doing this. Only  
months before she had asked Nick's master to leave him alone. But then she  
had saved the vampire community, and realised that she was a part of them,  
whether she liked it or not. She was slipping away from mortality, a little  
at a time. Maybe *with* Nick - he was slipping back from mortality, as well.  
Something would have to give. Sooner or later, Nick would leave. Or they'd  
try Janette's accidental cure, which Natalie wasn't sure would work anyway.  
Nick might also end up killing her. None of those choices seemed good enough  
for Natalie. This was the only way out that she could see. And, heaven help  
her, she was *happy* about it. She was excited. She *wanted* this, she...

She looked up, and LaCroix was standing in the doorway. Damn vampires,  
always sneaking up on a person!

"It's time, Natalie," was all he said. "The sun just set."

Natalie swallowed; stood up. "What do I do?"

Now LaCroix looked rather uncertain. "I can bring you across as I did  
Janette, Nicholas, and many others. We will have a strong bond in any event.  
Or it can be done in... shall we say... a more pleasurable way." Never would  
LaCroix admit that he found Natalie interesting. But he gave her the option  
anyway. He certainly never expected...

"You're referring to intercourse," Natalie said, surprised that she  
wasn't shocked.

"I have seldom done it in that way," he admitted, "but the bond will be  
much stronger. You will be able to draw strength from me, should you need  
it. Control will be easier for you."

"And you'll feel closer to me? Feel some of what I feel?" Natalie picked  
up on what the master vampire did *not* say.

"Yes," he admitted.

Natalie suddenly realised that LaCroix was trying to make it *easier* for  
her, afterwards. Although if Nick found out how it had been done... She  
stood very close to him. "Which one would you choose?"

"The second. I never want you to hate me for allowing you to lose  
control." LaCroix hadn't cared when Nick had hated him - at least, with Nick  
hating him, LaCroix had thought that he was on his way back to his true  
nature. But he was tired of hate, tired of the struggle.

Natalie was unable to admit that she'd thought being brought across would  
not be a good experience. It was, after all, dying to one life. She didn't  
want to feel that, she wanted to feel loved, and wanted... even as she  
became a vampire. She knew she wouldn't get that from Nick. And despite her  
mixed feelings for Nick's master, she found him... compelling. Powerful. If  
she became his child, he would care for her. Love her.

LaCroix looked at her. "It is entirely your choice. I merely present it  
to you."

"I understand." Natalie took off her coat, to give herself a second for  
what she was about to do to sink in. "I want the second choice. I want it  
all."

For the first time ever, she saw surprise on LaCroix's face. But he  
overcame it, and held out his hand to her. "Come."

***

They went into what Natalie guessed had once been Janette's quarters. They  
were tastefully decorated, and now bore signs of a male presence. They  
weren't as stark as Nick's, and somehow this surprised her.

"What is it?" her soon-to-be-master asked.

"I'm not sure... I expected... coldness. Not a sense that you live here."

"It's Nicholas who cannot bring himself to leave his mark," LaCroix  
replied. "I do what I will."

"I know." And Natalie smiled at him, feeling... genuine affection. "What  
now?"

"Now, this," he said, and took her in his arms, kissing her.

***

A mortal. How long it had been since he had been this close to one, without  
considering her a possible meal? Knowing she would soon be his... forever...  
made the master vampire prolong the process. No need to rush, one can enjoy  
this, even the beginning. And knowing that Nicholas thought she belonged to  
him, made LaCroix enjoy it even more: forbidden fruit. And yet, not  
forbidden. She had *asked* to be brought across, and he would do it in the  
best, most pleasurable - and practical - way.

***

'So this is what it's like to really kiss a vampire,' Natalie thought.  
Kissing Nick was always so restrained, so chaste, almost. She could always  
tell that he was keeping himself emotionally aloof from her, and keeping  
himself as physically distant as possible. Whenever she had kissed Nick,  
their lips had met, but he had never held her against him. Only that one  
time, on Valentine's Day, had he kissed her with hunger, and hugged her as  
she'd always wanted. 

Not so LaCroix. His strength was almost overwhelming, as he held her against   
him, kissing her so thoroughly she literally felt lightheaded, and short of breath.   
All the cliches from those damn vampire romances suddenly didn't seem like   
cliches anymore. And then she empathised with the female characters in those   
novels. She *wanted* to be taken, she wanted him to have her blood... and her   
body. She wanted his. And to utter those words, and mean them... "Take me,"   
she said when they finally broke apart. "All of me. Please."

***

These were not words LaCroix would have expected from Natalie, from the  
woman who loved his wayward son, from the woman who was Nicholas' icon for  
mortality. But there it was. He undid the buttons on her blouse very gently,  
beginning to pull it away from her neck, when Natalie shrugged it off  
completely, leaving only her underwear on top. Natalie looked at him, then  
at the bed, and moved to sit down on it, waiting. LaCroix faced her, moving  
the bra strap aside, pushing her hair aside as well. He looked into her eyes  
once more, to be sure, knowing this was not like him. He'd brought people  
across before without their consent, but suddenly it was important that  
consent be given.

She looked back at him, certainty and determination in her eyes. Then she  
turned her head aside, giving him access to her neck. And without hesitating  
another second, he pierced her skin.

Natalie Lambert's blood filled his mouth - warm, sweet, life-giving. He  
could have drunk every drop, but he had more control than that. At the  
proper time he stopped, placing kisses over the spot where he had just fed.

Natalie was still conscious, barely, but she was smiling. "I knew it  
would be fine, I knew it."

And instead of biting his wrist so that she could take his blood, he bit  
his tongue instead, and kissed her.

Blood filled Natalie's mouth, and she recognised what she was supposed to  
do, swallowing as best she could without breaking the kiss. Then and there  
she knew it was the most erotic, intimate thing she would ever experience.  
And she also knew that Nick would not have done it like this, not have  
allowed her to find *pleasure* in becoming a vampire. For as she drank  
LaCroix's blood, she could feel herself changing, growing... stronger, more  
alert... different. And suddenly, she knew she was different, she knew she  
was no longer mortal. And she also knew what Nick meant about "it", the  
vampire. She could feel it in her, but unlike Nick she embraced it, made it  
part of her... The change had occurred. Natalie Lambert had come across.

Her new master broke the kiss, to give himself time to heal, to give her  
time to heal. Not much time... merely a minute or two. And when he looked at  
her, he could see that he had made the right decision. The look of utter  
peace and devotion on her face rivalled that of Janette when he had brought  
her over... and the evening with Natalie had not ended yet. Her first hunger  
would not come until her body had slept, had a chance to assess its new  
needs... but in the meantime, they could give in to... other needs, other  
desires... They could make love as vampires. Strange for one such as himself  
to think of making love, but there it was. And he wanted to make love to  
her, more than anything.

Natalie obviously wanted it, too, because she was undoing the buttons on  
his shirt. So he leaned around and unzipped her skirt, pulling it and her  
slip off at the same time. The other underwear ripped as it was torn off,  
just as she broke the buckle on his pants in her haste. All the clothes were  
thrown to the floor, as Natalie took hold of him, moving closer, wanting him  
inside her, in both body and blood. Then she moved over him, and he *was*  
inside her, looking up at her as she lay down on top of him, her eyes never  
leaving his... eyes newly golden, looking into eyes that once were blue, now  
gold as well. And as she moved with him, Natalie could feel her fangs emerge,  
wanting the other part of him, the other part that a vampire needed... his  
blood. She leaned towards his neck, seeing his mouth open, his fangs waiting  
to pierce her neck as well. And they bit each other, drank each other's blood,  
moved together, reached the peak... flowing into each other, perfect  
symmetry.... and then perfect calmness and satisfaction as they lay together,  
entwined.

***

Natalie awoke with the worst hunger she had ever felt in her life. She had  
no time to be disoriented, to notice the bloodstains on the sheets at her  
neck and thighs, to remind herself of where she was and what had happened...  
all she could think about was blood: where to get it, how to get it... She  
got up, naked, just as LaCroix walked into the room.

That snapped her out of it slightly, but the feral look in her eyes did  
not subside. "I... I need..."

"I know," he said, and handed her a glass filled with blood.

Natalie drank it, and four more, before her eyes returned to normal,  
before she could think of anything but blood, blood and more blood. She put  
the glass down, sinking back onto the bed, taking in the state of the  
sheets, of herself, of the taste of the blood in her mouth. It hadn't been a  
dream. Thank goodness, it hadn't been a dream. She really was a vampire.

"Is it always like that?" she asked.

LaCroix, who had put on a robe - not silk, not like Nick's - terrycloth,  
of all things - sat next to her, not touching. Last night had been last  
night. "The first hunger is the worst. That is the time when a new vampire  
will take anyone or anything."

Instead of thinking of herself, Nat asked, "And you did?"

"It is what we are."

Natalie nodded. "I know. And that was human blood you gave me, wasn't it?"

"Yes." LaCroix only stated facts. "You need it. Nicholas denies his need,  
but it is there."

"You mean, drinking animal blood is like... like... trying to live only  
on grass when you could have a gourmet dinner."

"Exactly."

Natalie looked at him suddenly. "I can feel your presence. It's strong,  
comforting... it's in my mind. It's wonderful!"

"And I can feel yours. Your sweetness will make my nights brighter,  
Natalie. You are now my daughter."

"I like that," she said, smiling. "I want it. I want to be yours."

"We are joined forever." He kissed her forehead, and Natalie moved her  
head away so that their lips met instead. But LaCroix pulled away. "I'm glad  
your coming across was pleasurable, Natalie. It can end there if you so  
wish."

'What am I doing?' Nat pondered. She didn't want it to end there. She  
leaned towards him. "It doesn't have to... Father."

When she said that LaCroix kissed her with a force and power she had  
never felt before. She felt her fangs emerge, because, oh God, she liked it.  
And she wanted more, wanted him, more than anything... more than last night,  
if such a thing were possible.

***

The banging on the door startled them both. "LaCroix! What have you done to  
Natalie!" came Nick's voice. And then the door broke open (it hadn't been  
locked, but Nick hadn't bothered to check that) and Nick came in. And  
stopped in utter disbelief and shock.

The woman he loved was sitting, naked, on the bed with his master. And as  
he took in their dishevelled states, and the state of the bed itself, Nick  
knew what had happened. And he knew that Natalie had *let* it happen. He  
stepped shakily into the room, his voice cracking. "Natalie...?"

Nat pulled an unsoiled sheet off the bed and covered herself. "I knew you  
wouldn't agree," she said, defiant. "And I wanted this."

"Eternal darkness? You can't want that."

"I did it because I *was* a part of this Community, and had been for a long   
time. I did it because I loved you, because I wanted us to be together, without fear..."

Nick looked pointedly down at the bed again. "You... you... Nat... how  
could you? If you love me as you say, how could you?" His voice was a mere  
whisper, but part of Natalie was glad that at least he wasn't blaming LaCroix,  
or himself.

"I knew you'd never give me this, you'd never let me know that being  
brought across could be pleasurable, that total intimacy was possible... on  
all levels." She didn't add the one she knew would hurt him... even more so  
because it was true: 'I couldn't trust you not to mess it up.'

Blood tears stained Nick's cheeks. "I love you, Natalie."

"And I love you," she said, truthfully. "But this isn't about love. It's about a   
bond, and having someone to lean on, and being able to know that they are   
there for you. Have you *ever* been there for those you brought across, Nick?"

Nick didn't reply.

"Nicholas..." began their master, but Nick didn't want to hear. Perhaps  
he didn't want to face the truth, either.

"You did this!" he said. "You touched her, when I should have. You didn't  
have to. There are other ways to bring someone over."

Natalie stood in front of Nick, careful not to touch him. He was looking  
at her as though she was contaminated. "Nick, I *chose* to be brought across  
this way. I wanted it, I wanted it so much. After all those years of denial,  
I needed this, more than anything."

Nick wanted to protest, wanted to say that he could have done the same,  
that he could have brought her across, made love to her, shown her the  
pleasures that vampires were capable of. But he couldn't say it, because he  
knew it would be a lie. He turned away, looking so broken, so forlorn, that  
Natalie suddenly felt a stabbing pain for what she had done to him. "Nick,  
don't leave like this."

Nick turned and looked at her, this time looking her up and down. "I...  
need time. To digest this." And then he went out, refusing to look back at  
her.

***

Natalie turned back to her master, dropping the sheet. What inadequate  
cover it had been, anyway. She *liked* it that he looked at her with  
appreciation - heaven help her, but she liked it. "Do you think he'll come  
around?"

LaCroix merely tipped his head sideways. "I have ceased to be able to  
tell, where Nicholas is concerned."

She nodded. "I didn't say thank you. Thank you for bringing me across. I  
wanted it. I'm happy to be a vampire. And... I want you to know, I'll never  
change my mind."

LaCroix smiled at her affectionately. "I know." He could feel it in her.  
She had no doubts. Nicholas had had doubts almost from the moment he'd come  
over, but not Natalie. There was not one shred of doubt in her mind. Now she  
came right up to him, pressed herself against him through the robe. "Make  
love to me again," she said, shocking him once more.

"Why?" It was a fair question. LaCroix knew that Natalie loved Nick and  
not him. And he could see she had picked up on that thought.

"You're thinking that I don't love you, that I love Nick. That is  
partially true. I do love Nick. I'll always love Nick. But this isn't about  
Nick, it's about you and me. I love you, too. Maybe not in the same way, but  
I do love you. How could I not, after the gift you've given me?"

"You think of it as a gift?" Natalie just continued to surprise him.

"Yes, it's a wonderful gift. I understand that, and I want to revel in it  
and enjoy it."

"If you were truly to revel in it, as you say, that would include... killing."   
It was something he had to say. Someday, she might need to do exactly that.

This was one thing Nat was not sure of. "I know it may be necessary  
someday, and when it is, and my survival is at stake, I probably will. But I  
won't do it just to satisfy the hunger in me." She looked at him in defiance.

"You drank human blood," he reminded her.

"Drank it, yes, not killed for it. I know I need it."

LaCroix touched her face, even more beautiful now with its vampiric  
colour. "Very well, Natalie. I will give you that one thing. You are wiser  
than my son ever was."

Natalie put her hand over his and held it there. "Thank you." Then she undid   
the belt that held the robe together. "I think we have more interesting things to   
do than discuss food." She smiled up at him wickedly.

"That we do."

***

It was two weeks before Nick saw Natalie again. Down at the Coroner's Office  
they had told him that Natalie had taken some leave time and gone out of  
town. Nick had screamed in rage when he'd heard that - he knew she was at  
the Raven, with LaCroix.

He thought the jealousy would kill him. He felt like killing LaCroix. He  
felt like going to the Raven and bringing Nat back with him. But he didn't,  
because he knew she had finally achieved what she'd wanted. Now he knew that  
every time she had told him she didn't want to be a vampire - "You were  
right not to bring me across" - she had been lying, saying what she thought  
he wanted to hear. It made him face some things he hadn't really faced  
before. He had hurt her, yes. He'd frustrated her with his continual  
backsliding. And now he understood why she'd gone to LaCroix rather than ask  
him something he would have said no to. But he also knew that his continual  
protests of how vampirism was a living hell rang increasingly hollow every  
time he drank blood, every time he used his powers to solve a crime. He knew  
he would have to decide what he wanted, if he wanted Natalie. *If* he wanted  
her...

Only now could Nick think about the depth of his feelings for her. Did he  
love her only because she was mortal, as he had always feared, or did he  
love her merely because she was *Natalie*? The more he thought about it, the  
more Nick realised that he loved *her*. Not a mortal woman, but Natalie  
herself. Not seeing her was driving him crazy, thinking of her with  
LaCroix... He couldn't stand it. But he knew that if he went back to the  
Raven, he might lose her. He had to wait for her to make her own decision...  
just as he had made his.

***

Then, two weeks to the day after he had discovered Natalie in LaCroix's  
bedroom, the elevator opened and Natalie came into the loft. "Hi," she said,  
and Nick was lost just looking at her. Being a vampire had made her even  
more beautiful, and he realised that he wanted her as much as he ever had...  
more, maybe. And now that he *could* want her without fearing that he would  
kill her, he felt the desire wash through him as never before. But all he  
said was, "Hi," back.

They just stood there, staring at each other for a long time. Then Nick  
ventured, "You look beautiful."

"Thanks. The vampire lifestyle suits me, don't you think?"

And Nick had to admit that it was so. But he had to ask, "Nat, are you  
here... are you *back*?"

"You mean, am I here to be with you?"

He nodded.

Natalie came a little closer. "I love you, Nick. I've loved you since I  
met you. And I do want to be with you, very much."

Nick heard a 'but' in there. "But...?"

"But there are a few rules. First, you decide what you're going to do  
with your life. No more of this backsliding. If you want to be mortal,  
concentrate on that. Stop drinking blood. Drink my protein shakes. Eat. Use  
the sunbed. If you want to remain a vampire, then you start feeding  
properly. You stop drinking cow's blood and strengthen yourself." She  
grinned. "Believe me, you'll need it. Second, you never, ever, question me  
regarding LaCroix. I'll tell you about him, *when I want to.* I've spent a  
lot of time with him, Nick, and I know he can love. He loves. He loves me,  
and he most certainly loves you." She paused. "And third, we will never make  
love if you decide you still want to be mortal."

Nick was about to protest, but Natalie held up a hand. "If you decide you  
want to be cured, then you go cold turkey. On *everything*. That includes  
me. I'm not doing this to blackmail you, Nick. I just want you to be clear  
as to what you want. I'm not putting up with your inability to decide  
anymore."

Nick smiled, and stepped right up to her. "I decided before you arrived,  
Nat. I've been struggling for mortality, when what I really wanted was what  
you have: peace. You're at peace with yourself."

He paused, and Natalie wondered if that was it. "So? How do you think you  
can find peace, Nick?"

"By being with you. By being a vampire. By realising that perhaps you  
were right all along, and some of my problems don't stem from my being what  
I am." As he looked at her, he could see a lot of tension drain out of  
Natalie. Then she walked forward, very slowly, and stopped in front of him.

"No more pain and guilt?"

"I'll always feel it, Nat. But maybe I can try to get past it, to atone  
without torturing myself."

That was sufficient, and Natalie nodded. "I love you, you know."

"I love you." And he smiled the most innocent smile she had ever seen.  
Then he lifted a hand and touched her cheek, much as he had done long ago,  
on that one Valentine's Day.

His hand felt warm to her now, not cold as before. And she could feel the  
warmth spreading, growing, making her want him. And now that she knew the  
truth of how vampires made love, she knew how difficult it had been for him,  
before. How much he must have wanted her...

But not as much as now, she could feel, as he pulled her against him, all  
restraint gone. "Oh, God, Nat, I want you," he said, and it was all she  
could do not to give in to her desire... yet.

"Nick... I love him, too. You musn't think that I'll never return to him.  
I need him... and so do you."

The jealousy was still there, and probably always would be, but at last  
Nick could understand. "I've always fought against needing him, Nat. But I  
know I need him; he's a part of me. And I think that's the only reason I  
didn't kill him for touching you."

"I chose it all, Nick, but I know now that mortal ways of defining love are   
very narrow. You are my other half... but he is my sire. And he taught me   
so much..." She trailed off. No questions, she had said, but she wanted Nick   
to understand a few things. To understand that LaCroix needed her love, too.

Nick looked at her now, a neutral expression on his face and in his  
voice. "Not the same things that he taught me, I'll bet."

"Probably not. Can you live with knowing that if he wants me, I will be  
there for him? That I will share myself with him because he asks me, because  
of what we have?"

"I think so. I couldn't before, but vampires are not human, and human  
ways of doing things are only right for them, not us."

Natalie had waited years for that revelation. If Nick could realise the truth,   
then their love was possible. Anything... *everything*... was possible. "Then   
kiss me, Nick, kiss me and touch me and make me forget all those years of longing."

And Nick kissed her, and touched her, and did oh so much more. And when  
they bit each other, he could taste his master in her... But instead of  
revulsion, he felt... acceptance. Of himself. Of Natalie. Even of LaCroix.

***

A week later, Nick and Natalie went to the Raven. Nick had also taken time  
off, as Natalie had, and the news of Natalie's conversion had spread quickly  
through the vampire community. "Where is he?" Nick asked Vachon, who was  
sitting at the bar as usual.

Vachon turned and smiled at Natalie. "There you are again, doctor. Permit  
me to welcome you. I didn't get a chance before." He'd seen her at the Raven  
occasionally, but since he had known that she now belonged to LaCroix, he  
had stayed away from her. All the vampires has stayed away. But here she  
was, with Nick...

"Thanks," smiled Natalie, but Nick was in a hurry.

"Vachon, where?"

"He's got a tape running tonight. Must be in the back somewhere."

Nick started off, but Nat whispered, "Thanks. Don't mind him," as they  
passed.

***

LaCroix was indeed in his quarters, reading. Probably looking for new  
material to quote on his show. He looked up as they entered, and smiled  
when he saw Natalie. "Natalie, my dear. I take it Nick forgave all?" He  
didn't even *look* at Nick.

"Yes." Natalie sat down next to him. "And more."

Now LaCroix dared to look up at his son, who was still standing at the  
door. "Really, Nicholas? Are you about to unleash a revelation, perhaps?"

"Something like that." Nick took a seat opposite to his master. "I  
realised that Natalie didn't change when she was brought across. I realised  
that, perhaps, I was always drawn to the darkness, that it wasn't the  
vampire in me that was responsible for everything I'd done."

"But you *are* a vampire..."

"I know. But it doesn't change my identity. Inside I'll always be  
Nicolas de Brabant. I think I can still do good, and try to atone, without  
turning my back on what I am."

Now his son was surprising him, too. "And you are here because..."  
LaCroix ventured.

"I want to make peace with you. I realised, and Natalie showed me, that I  
do need you. We're a part of each other."

LaCroix stood up and faced his son. "That we are, Nicholas. I'm glad  
you're finally ready to accept that." He hesitated to ask Nick the final  
question: whether he had returned to 'the fold', as it were. So Natalie  
asked it. "So, Nick? Are you going to return to us?"

*Us*, noticed Nick, not *the Community*. "Yes. I am a part of you. This  
doesn't mean that I'm going to stop being a police detective, of course, but  
I want to be a part of the Community again."

"And I suppose you are going back to your little job in that dingy  
morgue?" LaCroix said to Natalie.

Natalie smiled shyly. "Well, yeah. What Nick and I do, it's important."

"To *mortals*," LaCroix said, a bit angrily.

Why was it that Natalie knew how to stand up to LaCroix in a way that Nick  
never had? She got up and faced him. "No, not just to mortals. To the world.  
We need them. Their culture, their freshness, their joie de vivre. And they  
need us, too. Without us, their lives would be without mystery, even without  
danger. It isn't exactly a beneficial symbiosis, but it's close enough."

"I have a lovely, brilliant daughter," said LaCroix, leaning forward and  
kissing Natalie... who allowed it completely, who opened her mouth to the  
kiss, who showed her master that she accepted him, that she returned his  
love... even now, when she had finally gotten together with Nick.

Nick saw the kiss... and while he didn't exactly like it, he understood  
the reasons for it, and he accepted it as well. The kiss ended, and his  
master looked at him, expecting to see jealousy, anger, pain... and saw  
only acceptance, even love, from his son.

"We have to go," Nick said. "We both decided to go back on shift tonight."

LaCroix inclined his head. "I understand. But do come again soon. Stay  
for the day. We can... visit."

"I'll look forward to that," Nick said... and he meant it.

***

There was only one more task left to perform before Nick could feel truly  
relaxed. This one did not involve a vampire.

"Trace," he said, just before they got back to the precinct in the Caddy,  
"when we go off shift, would you come over to my place for a little while?"

Tracy stared at him like he'd just beamed down from Mars. "You want me?  
To come to your place? After work?"

"Yeah. Natalie and I have a few things to tell you."

Tracy smiled knowingly. "Nick, if you're gonna tell me that the two of  
you are an item... everybody knows about that."

Before his new outlook on, er, unlife, Nick might have replied, "Everybody   
knows?" But now he just grinned and said, "No, it's not about that. Can you make it?"

"Sure," said Tracy, curious, "why not?"

***

When Tracy arrived Nick and Nat had coffee ready, but Tracy could see they  
were nervous. She looked around the loft, never having been there. It was...  
interesting, and very Nick. "I wondered what kind of a place you'd live in.  
It's a little spartan, but, yeah, I think it's you."

Nick only smiled. "Have a seat, Trace. We have something to tell you."

Tracy sat, looking confused. Nick started at the beginning... well, the  
beginning for Tracy, that is. "Remember Vudu, and the bombs he was going to  
set off?"

"Sure. It was just weird luck that he didn't kill me."

"Trace, I know the truth. Vachon and the Inca saved you. And Vachon was  
the one who killed Vudu."

Tracy looked over at Natalie, who nodded. "You both know about that?  
How... I mean, I thought..."

"You thought Vachon hypnotised me."

"You... you know? About vampires?"

Nick stood up, walked over to the window. The sun hadn't begun to rise  
yet, and the view was very beautiful. "Yeah I know about vampires. Trace,  
Vachon couldn't have hypnotised me if he'd wanted to. I'm older than he is."

Tracy was about to begin talking, then Nick saw the light dawn. "You're a  
vampire!"

Nick nodded. "I was brought across in 1228."

"During the Crusades," added Natalie.

That took some digesting. Then Tracy merely looked a little sad. "But you  
knew I wouldn't say anything. Why didn't you think you could trust me?"

"Trace, there's a lot Vachon hasn't told you about us. We have our own  
Code, and the Code dictates that those who get proof of vampires must be  
killed. Especially resistors - but not only resistors. If the vampire who  
allowed the mortal to find out cannot fix the problem and remove the  
evidence, that vampire is killed. It was in both our interests for you not  
to know. And I wasn't sure I could trust you, Trace, not until that time  
when we all got sick. I was just..."

"I know, waiting for the right time."

"Something like that."

Tracy put down her coffee cup and joined Nick at the window. "Why is now  
the right time?"

"Because of me," said Natalie, standing up and facing them.

"You're not a vampire too," Tracy said, wondering just how many people  
she knew were vampires.

"I am now. I've been a vampire for nearly a month."

Tracy looked at Nick, but he shook his head. "I didn't bring her over. My  
own master did."

"And he is...?"

"LaCroix," answered Natalie. "I chose him."

"The owner of the Raven is a *vampire*? Just how many vampires are there  
in this city?"

Nick and Natalie exchanged a glance. "Quite a few, but most of them hang  
out at the Raven. You won't find too many in morgues or police precincts."

"Well, thank goodness for that." Tracy smiled at Nick. "I still don't get  
why you're telling me all this now."

"Because you work with us every day. Eventually you would notice, and  
we'd have to be extra careful," replied Nat. "Now we don't have to."

Nick wasn't looking at Tracy now; he was looking out at the city - and  
Natalie knew that there was more to it. There was. He turned back to Tracy.

"Trace, you can't have a relationship with Vachon if you stay mortal."

"What?" This was unexpected.

"You have to choose. Vampires cannot make love with mortals without  
killing them." He didn't want to bring up Janette and her extraordinary  
circumstances. "If you want to stay mortal and live a normal life, you have  
to break it off with Vachon. The other alternative..."

"Is to become a vampire. I get it. Why are you telling me?"

"Because you're my partner. I care about what happens to you. And because...   
I don't think it's a good idea for Vachon to bring you over. He's too close."

As she heard all this, Natalie suddenly realised where Nick was going  
with this. And she couldn't believe it - Nick, *wanting* to bring someone  
across? To condemn them to a living hell? Not Nick! "You're... not...  
suggesting..." began Natalie, but Nick shook his head.

"All I'm saying is, find someone to do it who isn't close, but with whom  
you won't mind being close... That bond will be there for all eternity."

And then Tracy surprised both of them greatly. "Thanks, Nick, but I don't  
think so."

Nick looked utterly nonplussed. Everyone always jumped at the chance to  
live forever. Natalie hadn't, but then she'd only been doing it for his  
benefit. "You don't want to be a vampire?"

Tracy shook her head. "No. Not yet. I do care about Vachon, but... I just  
know that being a vampire isn't right for me. I wouldn't *work* as a  
vampire, you know?"

Nick still looked shocked, but Natalie was smiling. "I know what you mean."

Nick finally managed to get his mouth to work. "What about Vachon?"

Tracy looked unsure. "I don't know. Maybe a platonic relationship is enough,   
maybe it isn't. But he and I are adults, and we can handle whatever happens."

"I don't want you to die, Trace."

"That's okay, Nick. I don't wanna die. So I guess you could say I'm  
motivated to find a way to have some sort of relationship with Vachon  
without dying."

"Vampire physiology..." began Natalie.

"I know. But I'm a big girl, okay? Look, I gotta go. I'll see you guys."

Tracy left, and Nick and Nat merely looked at each other. "If Vachon  
hurts her..." began Nick, but Natalie put her fingers to his lips.

"She just told you, Nick, that she's an adult. If she wants to sport fang  
marks - or try to - that's her business."

Before, Nick would have rushed out after Tracy. Now... he gave in to  
Natalie's wisdom. "Yeah, I guess it is."

***

LaCroix had somehow not expected to see Nicholas again soon. He had expected  
Natalie to visit him, oh yes, but then the bond they had was very strong...  
he suspected that it was Natalie who clung onto the bond, who used it to  
draw strength, who depended on him... It was good to be depended on again,  
by a... companion. Child. Even lover, maybe.

But only two days had passed when Nick and Natalie returned, a mere two  
hours before the sun was due to rise. They smiled at him, sat down at the  
bar, got the 'house special', and proceeded to relax. The master vampire  
could also tell that they didn't intend leaving when the sun rose. And he  
could feel Natalie's contentment... and, miracle of miracles, he could feel  
a little from Nicholas as well. His son was *happy*. Content. And no longer  
shutting himself off from his master. LaCroix knew it was because of  
Natalie's faith... not only in him or herself, but her faith in their master,  
her faith that being a vampire did not change who you were. It was a unique  
perspective, one that LaCroix wasn't sure he shared... but it worked for  
Natalie and Nick, and he had them back... it was what he wanted, and he, too,  
was content.

He was just about to go over and engage them in coversation when Tracy  
came in. She paid no heed to the few customers who were still there, but  
went right over to his children.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, Trace," replied Nat. "What's up?"

Tracy had been wearing a scarf - understandable since it *was* cold out.  
But she unwound it from around her neck. "I told you we'd work it out."

Natalie and Nick stared at the fang marks. "You didn't!" Nick exclaimed.

"Sure we did. Vachon said he didn't know why he didn't kill me, but  
anyway, he didn't."

The first thought Nick had was that Janette had been right, that he and  
Natalie could have tried it... But then he looked at Natalie, saw her  
happiness, and stopped that thought cold. No more second-guessing. No more  
*guilt*. So all he said was, "And this makes you happy, Trace?"

"Yes. It does." She wound the scarf round her neck again. "Just came to  
say you don't have to worry anymore. I'll be fine."

And Nick suddenly and finally knew that she would be. Just as Natalie had  
been fine in her choice, just as he was now fine in his. He leaned over and  
kissed her cheek. "I know," he said.

"See ya!" Tracy left the Raven.

***

All the customers had left and the other vampires had retired. LaCroix faced  
his children. "You seem almost... happy, Nicholas."

Nick looked at his vampire father with love. "I am happy, LaCroix. I just  
realised something, something I should have known, but that my guilt at  
being a vampire always obscured."

"And that is?"

"Different things work for different people. Tracy and Vachon are the  
proof. Natalie and I are the proof, too. I just wish I'd realised it sooner."

"I told you that guilt had no place in a vampire's psyche, Nicholas.  
Should I be ecstatic that you finally listened to me?"

Nick grinned - a lovely sight, especially to his master, who had seldom  
seen this side of his son. "Yes, you should."

"Are we a family again, Nicholas?" LaCroix's hope would be fulfilled if  
Nick replied in the affirmative... and it was all thanks to Natalie.

Nick now held Natalie's hand, and together they each took one of their  
master's hands in theirs. "Yes," said Nick, "we're a family."

THE END


End file.
